Software applications that combine angiography and computer image enhancement are commonly referred to as quantitative cardiac image analysis (QCIA). The QCIA application provides calibration capability, such as sphere, distance, catheter, and manual calibrations, and offers quantitative coronary analysis (QCA), quantitative vascular analysis (QVA), and left ventricle analysis (LVA).
Cardiologists and radiologists use QCIA software applications to generate data about the human vascular system. This data helps the doctor diagnose vascular diseases and determine appropriate treatment strategies.
The QCA application processes angiographic images of the coronary arteries to determine the diametrical dimensions of the coronary arteries. Accordingly, QCA may be used for measuring narrowing (stenosis) of the coronary arteries.
The QVA application processes angiographic images of the other blood vessels of the body to determine diametrical dimensions of these blood vessels. Accordingly, QVA may be used for measuring stenoses in other blood vessels.
Artery contour detection can be performed (for QCA and QVA) by defining the vascular segment of interest and marking an approximate center line of the segment in the direction of blood flow.
The LVA application processes angiographic images of the heart to quantitatively analyze left ventricular function using images in one or two acquisition planes to capture the left ventricle in different angulations, such as a 30° right anterior oblique (RAO) view and a 60° left anterior oblique (LAO) view. This allows the blood volume of the left ventricle, ejection fraction, etc, to be determined.
A coronary tree illustrator (CTI) is a software application that may be used to report the results of a cardiac catheterization study (cath reporting). This application allows the doctor to illustrate coronary dominance, collaterals, grafts, stenoses and interventions with corresponding characteristics. A number of pre-defined sites named and located according to the AHA conventions can be used for definition of coronary anomalies.
After performing QCA and deciding the best suited therapy for the patient, the doctor documents the diagnosis and the treatment that has been performed. As part of cath reporting, the doctor must document the quantitative measurements that were performed with the QCA application in the CTI application. This is currently performed by manually copying or inputting the quantitative measurements (e.g., stenotic length, etc.) into the CTI application, thus populating the CTI application with pre and post cath findings which are used to create a cath report.
Accordingly, a method is needed which eliminates the need to manually copy or input the quantitative measurements obtained via the QCA application to the CTI application.